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Emerson's Rhetorical Devices

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Individuality is key in a world that is constantly searching for people to “brainwash” and become someone they are not. To stop oneself from being conformed a specific way, you have to think, and that’s exactly what Ralph Waldo Emerson did. To realize you are not your true self under society’s watch is one thing, but to fix that problem is something greater. Emerson worked tirelessly during his time to warn the people of the grave dangers of becoming followers in society; he preached that when humans conform to society, they have lost their true selves, the selves that were given to them by God. In Emerson’s writing, “Self-Reliance”, he uses rhetorical strategies to help him convince his audience to become who they really are, not who society wants them to be. …show more content…

The metaphor specifically is referring to humans being naturally connected to God, and that they must find their way back from society and to their natural beings. The use of this specific rhetorical device allows for Emerson to get a foothold in his audience’s minds; his opinion was already an unpopular one but to use a connection his audience can relate to was just what Emerson needed to get his point across. Emerson’s persistent use of repetition creates a sense of urgency to think and understand, specifically saying, “[…] his genius deserts him; no muse befriends; no invention, no hope” (2). The constant repetition of “no” allows for Emerson to present his case that the work put into finding one’s true self is reclusive and can be self-depreciating, but that living under society’s rules is far worse than the journey to who one really is. He goes on to assure his audience that under God’s watchful eye, one will overcome

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